Nineveh and its Remains; With an Account of a Visit to the Chaldaean Christians of Kurdistan, and the Yezidis, or Devil-Worshippers; and an Inquiry into the Manners and Arts of the Ancient Assyrians

New York: George P. Putnam, 1849. First American edition. Hardcover. Very Good. 2 vol bound in one. Large 8vo. ii-viii, [1], 4-7, [2], 10-326; [3], 2-4, [1], vi-viii, [1], 10-373, [1] pp. Half contemporary morocco ruled in gilt over pale blue cloth, winged bull embossed in gilt on the front board, blindstamped on the rear board. Spine in six compartments with gilt lettering and rules, all edges gilt. Bound by Cook and Somerville Binders N.Y. Each volume illustrated with a lithograph frontispiece, volume one illustrated with three folding plans, 13 woodcut figures, eleven plates (one of which is a folding plate), and a map at the end of the volume. Volume two illustrated with 24 plates (one of which is folding), one folding plan, and 18 woodcut figures. Howgego L19. Oxford DNB, Jonathan Parry, "Layard, Sir Austen Henry (1817-1894)". Layard's first publication on his first expedition into the archaeological sites near modern-day Mosul, Iraq. He excavated the mound at Nimrud, believing to have found the ancient city of Nineveh (he would discover that this was actually at Kuyunjik after the publication of his book). Regardless, "[Layard had] uncovered three palaces, most importantly that of Ashurnasirpal II, and many notable objects including the Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III and several pairs of human-headed winged lions and bulls ... in the last few weeks of this [excavation] Layard began [a dig] at Kuyunjik, nearer Mosul, and quickly discovered the largest Assyrian palace, that of Sennacherib ... For his work near Mosul Layard earned the medal of the Royal Geographical Society" (Oxford DNB "Layard, Sir Austen Henry"). Layard's expedition occurred before Schliemann began his work in Turkey and Greece. An important volume chronicling early archaeology, at a time when the profession was just beginning to establish its standard practices and ways of documenting ancient culture. A Very Good book with some wear to the extremities and minor foxing scattered throughout.